001 - Æthelstan: The First King of England That History Forgot (924

https://is1-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/Podcasts221/v4/65/a7/85/65a785d0-39d4-dd78-1fdb-9278b01c949e/mza_15088814844073913686.jpg/600x600bb.jpg

Crown & Kingdom: The Kings of England

Gabriel Chapman

10 episodes

1 day ago

Crown & Kingdom: The Kings of England – the British history podcast telling every English monarch's story in chronological order. From Æthelstan to Charles III, each episode reveals the triumphs, scandals, and betrayals that shaped the English monarchy and British history. Discover the human drama behind legendary rulers: Henry VIII's break with Rome, medieval power struggles, and royal scandals across centuries. This royal history podcast turns monarchs from timeline names into complex figures whose reigns forged an empire. Perfect for history enthusiasts seeking compelling royal stories.

History

RSS

All content for Crown & Kingdom: The Kings of England is the property of Gabriel Chapman and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.

History

https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_nologo/44365046/44365046-1757038333952-c8444ce207306.jpg

001 - Æthelstan: The First King of England That History Forgot (924–939)

Crown & Kingdom: The Kings of England

8 minutes 42 seconds

2 months ago

001 - Æthelstan: The First King of England That History Forgot (924–939)

Everyone knows Alfred the Great, but far fewer know his grandson Æthelstan—the man who became the first true King of England. He united Wessex, Mercia, and Northumbria under one crown, claimed the title Rex Anglorum, and won the legendary Battle of Brunanburh in 937 AD, a clash so decisive it forged England itself. Yet history almost erased him completely.

Was it doubts over his legitimacy? Whispers of royal scandal? The fact he died without heirs? Or did his towering achievements make later monarchs uncomfortable? Some say he was deliberately forgotten. Others argue his reign was too perfect to believe.

This episode of Crown & Kingdom: The Kings of England dives into the extraordinary rise of England’s forgotten first king—from Alfred’s symbolic blessing and his brother Ælfweard’s mysteriously brief reign, to foreign princes studying at his court and the blood-soaked triumph at Brunanburh. Discover why this Anglo-Saxon ruler was hailed abroad as “Emperor of the West,” yet nearly lost to English memory.